My translation of the Sermon on the Mount.
No, not so I can have my own spin on it, or an “authoritative text” to work from;
Feel free to read it in other translations. Compare them to one another so you can see the translators’ consensus—and that gives you a better idea of what Jesus means, than simply reading
And the best way to follow him
Matthew 4.24 - 7.29 KWL 4.24 The rumor of Jesus goes out to all Syria.- People bring him everyone
- who have all sorts of evil diseases,
- crushed by torments,
- demoniacs, lunatics, the paralyzed—
- and he cures them.
25 Many crowds follow Jesus:- People from the Galilee, Dekapolis,
- Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond-Jordan.
5.1 Seeing the crowds,- Jesus goes up, into the hill,
- and as he is sitting down
- his students come to him.
2 Opening his mouth,- Jesus is teaching his students,
- saying,
5.3 “The spiritually poor: How awesome!- —the heavenly kingdom is theirs.
4 Those mourning: How awesome!- —they’ll be comforted.
5 The gentle: How awesome!- —they’ll inherit the land.
6 Those hungry and thirsty for justice: How awesome!- —they’ll be filled.
7 The merciful: How awesome!- —they’ll be shown mercy.
8 Those of clean mind: How awesome!- —they’ll see God.
9 Those making peace: How awesome!- —they’ll be called God’s children.
10 Those hunted down because of justice: How awesome!- —the heavenly kingdom is theirs.
11 When people condemn you², hunt you² down,- say everything evil against you², lie,
- all because of me: How awesome you² are!
12 Rejoice and celebrate for your² great reward in heaven!- For they persecuted the prophets before you² this way.
5.13 “You’re² the earth’s salt.- When salt is tasteless,
- in what way will it salt things?
- It’s good for nothing—
- unless it’s thrown outside for people to walk on.
14 You’re² the world’s light.- A city can’t be hidden when it lies on a hill.
15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket,- but on the lampstand,
- and it shines on everything in the house.
16 So shine your² light before the people- so they could see your² good works,
- and think well of your² heavenly Father.
5.17 “None of you² should think- that I come to tear down the Law or the Prophets.
- I don’t come to tear down,
- but build up.
18 For amen!—I promise you²:- Heaven and earth might pass away,
- but neither one yodh nor one dot
- ought ever pass away from the Law;
- not until everything’s done.
19 So whoever might annul the smallest of these commands,- and might teach this to people:
- They will be called least in heaven’s kingdom.
- And whoever might do and teach them,
- this one will be called great in heaven’s kingdom.
20 For I tell you² this:- Unless your² rightness superabounds—
- more than scribes and Pharisees—
- you² might not enter heaven’s kingdom.”
5.21 “You² hear the oldtimers say,- ‘You¹ will not murder,
Ex 20.13, Dt 5.17 - and whoever might murder will be found guilty’?
22 I tell you²:- Everyone who’s been made angry by their sibling,
- {for no good reason,} will be found guilty.
- Anyone who might tell their sibling, ‘You¹ waste of space,’
- will be guilty under the Judean senate.
- Anyone who might say, ‘You¹ moron,’
- will be guilty in fiery Gehenna.
23 So when you¹ offer your gift on the altar,- if you¹ remember, right there,
- your¹ sibling has something against you¹,
24 leave your¹ gift there before the altar- and first go be reconciled with your¹ sibling.
- Then come back and offer your¹ gift.
25 Be reconciled with your¹ opponent quickly- while you’re¹ still on the road to court,
- lest they hand you¹ over to the judge,
- the judge hand you over to his servant,
- and you¹ will be thrown into prison.
26 Amen! I promise you¹:- You’re¹ not coming out of there
- till you’ve¹ paid the last quadrans.
5.27 “You² hear {the oldtimers} say,- ‘You¹ will not adulter’?
Ex 20.14, Dt 5.18 28 I tell you¹:- Every man who looks at a woman to covet her,
- adulters with her already, in his heart.
29 If your¹ right eye trips you¹ up,- pluck it out and throw it from you¹!
- For better for you¹
- that you¹ might destroy one of your¹ bodyparts
- and might not have your¹ whole body
- thrown into Gehenna.
30 If your¹ right hand trips you up,- lop it off and throw it from you¹!
- For better for you¹
- that you¹ might destroy one of your¹ bodyparts
- and might not have your¹ whole body
- go off to Gehenna.
5.31 “It’s said, ‘Whoever divorces his woman:- Give her a divorce document.’
Dt 24.1 32 I tell you²:- Everyone who divorces his woman,
- apart from a matter of unchastity,
- makes her adulter.
- And whoever might marry a divorcée,
- adulters.”
5.33 “Again, you² hear the oldtimers say this:- ‘You¹ will not perjure,’
Lv 19.2 - and you¹ will give your oaths to the Lord’?
34 I tell you:²- Don’t swear altogether.
- And not by heaven,
- because it’s ‘God’s throne.’
Ps 11.4 35 Nor by earth,- because it’s ‘the footstool of his feet.’
Is 66.1 - Nor by Jerusalem,
- because it’s ‘the mighty king’s city.’
Ps 48.2 36 Nor ought you¹ swear by your head,- because you’re¹ not able to make one hair
- white or black.
37 Make your² words ‘Yes yes, no no.’- Anything more than this is evil.”
5.38 “You² hear it being said,- ‘Eye for eye’ and ‘tooth for tooth.’
Ex 21.24, Lv 24.20, Dt 19.21 39 I tell you:²- Don’t hold your ground against evil.
- Instead, whoever strikes your right cheek:
- Turn the other to him as well.
40 To one who wants judgment against you¹,- and wants to take your¹ tunic:
- Give them your¹ robe as well.
41 To whoever presses you¹ into service for one mile:- Go with them for two.
42 To whoever asks of you¹:- Give!
- You¹ ought not turn away
- one who asks to borrow from you¹.
43 You¹ hear people say this:- ‘You¹ will love your neighbor,’
Lv 19.18 - and ‘You¹ will hate your enemy.’
44 I tell you:²- Love your² enemies!
- {Bless your² cursers.
- Do good to your² haters.}
- Pray over {your² slanderers
- and} your² persecutors.
45 This way, you² might become children- of your² Father who is in the heavens,
- since he raises his sun over evil and good,
- and rain over righteous and unrighteous.
46 For when you² love those who love you²,- should you² expect compensation for that?
- Don’t taxmen do the very same thing?
47 When you² greet only your² family members,- what more do you² do than others?
- Don’t pagans do the very same thing?
48 So you² will be consistent,- just like your² heavenly Father is consistent.
6.1 “Be careful to not do your² righteous deeds- in front of people for them to see.
- Otherwise you² certainly get no compensation
- from your² heavenly Father.
6.2 “So whenever you¹ do for the needy,- you¹ ought not trumpet it out before you¹,
- same as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and the streets
- so they might be praised by people.
- Amen! I promise you² this
- is the compensation they receive.
3 Now when you¹ do for the needy,- don’t let your¹ left hand know
- what your¹ right does,
4 so your¹ works for the needy- might be private.
- And your¹ Father, who sees what’s done in private,
- will pay you¹ back {in the open}.”
6.5 “And whenever you² pray,- you’ll² not be like the hypocrites,
- because they love standing up to pray
- in synagogues and street corners
- so they might be seen by people.
- Amen! I promise you² this
- is the compensation they receive.
6 You¹, whenever you¹ pray,- go into your¹ private room, closing your¹ door;
- and pray to your¹ Father in private.
- And your¹ Father, who sees what’s done in private,
- will pay you¹ back {in the open}.
7 You² who pray, ought not babble like the pagans,- for they think they will be listened to
- because of their many words.
8 So you² ought not be like them!- For your² Father knew what need you² have
- before your² asking of him.
6.9 “So pray like this yourselves²:- Our Father who’s in the heavens!
- Sanctify your¹ name.
10 Make your¹ kingdom come.- Make your¹ will happen both in heaven and on earth.
11 Give us tomorrow’s bread today.- Forgive us our obligations,
- like we likewise forgive those obliged to us.
- Don’t bring us into tribulation
- but rescue us from the time of evil,
- {because the kingdom, power, and glory
- belong to you¹ in the age to come. Amen.}
6.14 “For when you² forgive people their trespasses,- your² heavenly Father will also forgive you².
15 When you² don’t forgive people {their trespasses},- neither will your² Father forgive your² trespasses.
16 When you² fast, don’t be- like the sad-looking hypocrites who conceal their faces
- so they look to people like they’re fasting.
- Amen! I promise you² this
- is the compensation they receive.
17 You¹ who fast:- Fix your¹ hair and wash your¹ face,
18 so you¹ don’t look to people like you’re¹ fasting,- except to your¹ Father in private.
- And your Father, who sees what’s done in private,
- will pay you¹ back {in the open}.
6.19 “Don’t hoard wealth for yourselves² on earth,- where moths and corrosion ruin it,
- where thieves dig for it and steal it.
20 Hoard wealth for yourselves² in heaven,- where neither moth nor corrosion ruins,
- where thieves don’t dig for it nor steal it:
21 Where’s your¹ wealth?- Your¹ mind will be there too.
22 The body’s light is the eye.- So when your¹ eye is clear,
- your¹ whole body is illuminated.
23 When your¹ eye is bad,- your¹ whole body is dark.
- So if the light in you¹ is dark,
- how dark are you?
24 Nobody’s able to be a slave to two masters.- Either they’ll¹ hate one and love the other,
- or look up to one and down on the other:
- Can’t be a slave to God and Mammon.
6.25 “This is why I tell you²:- Stop worrying about what your² soul would eat {or drink},
- or what your² body would wear.
- Isn’t your² soul more than food?
- —your² body more than clothes?
26 Look at the birds of heaven:- They neither sow, reap, nor gather into barns.
- Your² heavenly Father feeds them.
- Aren’t you² far better than they?
27 Who among you² worriers- can add one cubit to their¹ maturity?
28 Why worry about clothing?- Study lilies in the field: How do they grow?
- They don’t work, nor spin thread.
29 And I tell you² what:- Even Solomon in all his splendor wasn’t clothed like them.
30 If God clothes grass of the field—- here today, thrown in the oven tomorrow—
- won’t he much more you²,
- despite your² little faith?
31 So stop worrying.- Stop saying, ‘What can we eat? Drink? Wear?
32 Every nation seeks them.- Your² heavenly Father knows these are all your² needs.
33 First seek God’s kingdom, God’s righteousness,- and all these things will be handed to you².
34 So stop worrying about tomorrow: Tomorrow has its own worries.- The evils of the day are plenty.
7.1 “Don’t criticize.- Thus you² won’t be criticized,
2 for you’ll² be critiqued- by the very criticism you² criticize with.
- The measurement you² measure with,
- will measure you².
3 “Why do you¹ see the wood chip in your¹ brother’s eye,- yet not notice the support beam in your¹ eye?
4 How will you¹ tell your¹ brother, ‘Let me get the chip out of your¹ eye’?- Look, there’s a beam in your¹ eye!
5 First get the beam out of your eye, hypocrite,- and you’ll¹ see straight enough to get the chip in your¹ brother’s eye.
6 Don’t give holy things to the dogs,- nor throw your² pearls before the pigs.
- Otherwise they’ll trample them under their feet,
- and they might turn and attack you².
7.7 “Ask!—it’ll be given you².- Look!—you’ll² find it.
- Knock!—it’ll be unlocked for you².
8 For all who ask receive,- who seek find,
- who knock God’ll unlock for.
9 Same as any of you².- Your² child will ask you² for bread;
- you² won’t give them¹ a cobblestone.
10 Or they’ll¹ ask you² for fish;- you² won’t give them¹ a snake.
11 So if you’re² evil,- yet knew to give good gifts to your children,
- how much more will your² heavenly Father
- give good things to those who ask him?
12 So, everything you² want people doing for you²,- you² do this for them.
- That’s the Law and the Prophets in sum.
7.13 “Enter through the narrow gate.- The broad {gate}, the wide road, leads to destruction.
- Many are entering destruction by it.
14 The narrow gate, the tight road,- leads people to life.
- Few are finding it.
15 “Watch out for the fake prophets,- who come to you² dressed as sheep,
- but underneath they’re greedy wolves.
16 You’ll² recognize them by their fruits.- People don’t pluck grapes from thornbushes,
- nor figs from thistles, do they?
17 So every good tree grows good fruits,- and a rotten tree grows bad fruits.
18 A good tree doesn’t grow bad fruits,- nor a rotten tree grow good fruits.
19 Every tree not growing good fruit- is cut down and thrown into fire.
20 It’s precisely by their fruits- that you’ll² recognize them.
21 Not everyone who calls me, ‘Master, master!’- will enter the heavenly kingdom.
- Just the one who does my heavenly Father’s will.
22 At that time, many will tell me, ‘Master, master!- Didn’t we prophesy in your¹ name?
- Didn’t we throw out demons in your¹ name?
- Didn’t we do many powerful things in your¹ name?’
23 And I’ll explain to them, ‘I never knew you².- Get away from me, all you² Law-breakers.’
7.24 “So whoever hears these teachings of mine- and does them
- will become like a wise man
- who builds himself a house on bedrock.
25 The rain comes down,- the current comes in,
- the winds blow,
- and slam into that house—
- and it doesn’t fall down,
- for it was grounded on bedrock.
26 And whoever hears these teachings of mine- and doesn’t do them
- will become like a stupid man
- who builds himself a house on sand.
27 The rain comes down,- the current comes in,
- the winds blow,
- and slam into that house—
- and it falls,
- and it’s a huge disaster.”
7.28 It happens when Jesus finishes these lessons,- the masses are amazed at his teaching:
29 Jesus’s teaching isn’t like their scribes,- but like one who has authority.
The background of the Sermon on the Mount. [5.1-2]
Beatitudes: Both awesome and awful. [5.2-12]
The earth’s salt. [5.13]
The world’s light. [5.14-16]
We gotta be better than “the righteous.” [5.17-20]
When our anger gets us into trouble. [5.21-22]
God doesn’t want angry worshipers. [5.23-24]
Make peace with your enemies. [5.25-26]
Our lusts might create big, big trouble. [5.27-28]
Cutting it off. [5.29-30]
Jesus and divorce. [5.31-32]
Oaths, honesty, and multiple levels of truth. [5.33-37]
Jesus rejects karmic thinking. [5.38-42]
Love your enemies. [5.43-44]
Be indiscriminate in loving other people. [5.44-48]
For whom are you doing charity? [6.1-4]
The street corner show-off. [6.5]
Get in the closet. [6.6]
Do not pad your prayers. [6.7-8]
Don’t let God’s foreknowledge weird you out about prayer! [6.8]
Our Father who art in heaven. [6.9-10]
Hallowed be thy name. [6.9]
Thy kingdom come. [6.10]
The “Your will be done” prayer. [6.10]
Daily bread. [6.11]
Is it “debts” or “trespasses”? [6.12]
Deliver us from evil. [6.13]
For thine is the kingdom… [6.13]
Prayer’s one prerequisite: Forgiveness. [6.14-15]
When you fast, keep it private. [6.16-18]
Treasures in heaven. [6.19-21]
Generosity and stinginess in God’s kingdom. [6.22-23]
Worshiping Mammon instead of Jesus. [6.24]
Don’t you worry ’bout a thing. [6.25-34]
Double standards. [7.1-5]
Deaf ears aren’t opportunities. [7.6]
Can we really ask God for anything we want? [7.7-11]
The Golden Rule. [7.12]
The narrow gate. Or door. Either way, tricky to get in. [7.13-14]
Watch out for fake and fleshly prophets. [7.15-20]
When Jesus says, “I don’t know you.” [7.21-23]
The house on the rock. [7.24-27]
Jesus doesn’t teach like the scribes. [7.28-29]
So, the usual notes about my translation:
- It’s mostly present tense because the original text uses present tense. Since
aorist tense has no time, it borrows the time of the nearby verbs, which’d usually be present. - I actually use italics for emphasis! Words added to make the text clearer English are either gray or lighter red.
- Braces mean the words aren’t in the original; they were added by
the Textus Receptus. - The superscript 1 and 2 indicates whether “you” or “they” is singular or plural. Nope, they’re not footnotes.
